Sheet movement responsive counting device



Sept. 20, 1949. w. R. MULQUIN 2,482,201

SHEET MOVEMENT RESPONSIVE COUNTING DEVICE Filed 001;. 30, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 30, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 20, 1949. w MULQUlN 2,482,201

SHEET MOVEMENTRESPONSIVE COUNTING DEVICE Sept. 20, 1949. w R. MULQUIN SHEET MOVEMENT RESPONSIVE COUNTING DEVICE 4 Shts-Sheet s (I: M I: m 5.1:" 55 i ,1 II" n 1 I Filed Oct. 30, 1947 ulquzn rney 5 Sept. 20, 1949. w. R. MULQUIN 2,432,201

, SHEET MOVEMENT RESPONSIVE COUNTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, l 947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 20, 1949 SHEET MOVEMENT RESPONSIVE COUNTING DEVICE William Russell Mulquin. Dundalk, Md assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application October 30, 1947, Serial No. 783,134

3 Claims. (Cl. 235-98) My invention relates in general to a counting device, and particularly to a device for counting sheets and plates as they are piled one on top of the other.

In modern tin plate manufacture, the cleaned and polished sheets are carefully inspected for defects by expert assorters, usually women, who examine minutely both sides of each sheet, and who classify or assort them by hand into piles of accepted or rejected grades.

The sheets of each grade must also be counted and collected into packs of uniform size, this being generally a separate step from the assorting, and since hand reckoning involves some mental effort to remember numbers, occasional mistakes due to lapses of memory are quite likely to occur.

On object of this invention, therefore is to reduce or eliminate the necessity of hand reckoning sheets or plates.

Another object is to provide a device for mechanically counting tin plate during the assorting operation.

A further object is to provide a reliable tin plate counting device which is simply constructed, light in weight and easy to move from place to place, and readily adjustable for operating convenience.

,Still other objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the specification and in the appended claims.

In the annexed four (4) sheets of drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a counting device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device in use when the pile is first started;

Fig. 3 is another perspective view, showing the movement of the vane to counting position which results when the assorter turns a sheet over; and

Fig. 4 is also a perspective view, but showing the machine in use when the pile is nearing completion.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates the top of a table or base on which the sheets or plates 2 are piled during the asserting operation. Suitable supports, such as the skids 3, are conveniently positioned on the table I to receive the uninspected pile 4, the pile of accepted sheets 5, and the pile of rejected sheets 6.

The counting device of my invention comprises a horizontal base 1, which may be of welded steel or standards 9, which plates and is preferably L-shaped, as in Fig. 1, and mounted on feet 8 resting on the table i adjacent the skids 3 for the pile 5. Mounted on said base 1 are a plurality of angle-iron uprights serve as stops on two sides for the assorted sheets and thereby assist in forming an orderly pile. For convenience in assorting, the upright 9 which is nearest the assorter may be cut shorter than the rest, and provided with clips I0 adapted to engage a small, angle-iron ll welded to the extension l2.

On one side of the device, a pair of the standards 9 also serve as stops for a swinging rec-' tangular vane l3, slidably clamped by friction plates M to the normally vertical support rods l5 which are secured to a horizontal cup-ended rock shaft l6 pivoted between cone-pointed setscrews l'l threaded in nuts I8 secured to the base 1. The reflex action of the spring l9 wound spirally around the rock shaft l6, one end of which spring bears against one of the rods 15 and the other end of which engages one of the slots 29 in the metal strap 2| secured to the base I, will normally tend to hold the vane I3 inward against the stops and return it to its initial position after movement. An extension 22 to the support rods [5 is pivotally connected to a short lever 23 for tripping a small mechanical register or counter 24, of the well-known ratchet type having revolving numeral wheels, mounted on one of the standards 9.

The working principle of this device is the utilization of the blast of air created as a sheet or plate is turned over by an assorter.

In operation, the device with the angle extension I2 is removed, is placed against the skid 3 on which the assorted sheets 5 are to be piled. The vane I3 is on the right hand side as the assorter faces the pile. When the assorter turns a sheet over to the assorted pile 5, the blast of air created by the resulting fanning action strikes the vane 13, causing it to swing outward from the adjacent standards 9 and thereby to trip the lever 23 actuating the counter 24. The spring I9 forces the vane l3 back into position against said standards 9, and the next sheet is ready to be counted.

When only a few sheets have been assorted and the pile 5 is still low, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the vane [3 will be set in a correspondingly low position. As the angle extension I2 is not then required, and may even interfere to some extent with the assorters passing rejected sheets over the device to her right, it is not used at this stage. However, as the assorted pile nears completion and the vane I3 is moved upward, as shown in Fig. 4, it will then become necessary to put the angle extension l2 in place,

For counting the lighter gauges, where the fannin action is less strong, a shield consisting of a sheet of tin plate or the like may be placed upright between-the twoangles Bron the endoflthe device opposite :the assorter, so as to create more air pressure for actuating the vane.

Although I have hereinabove described this invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details described, but I may also use such substitutions, modifications, or equivalents thereof .as are included within the scope vention or pointed out in the appended claims.

and spirit of the What I claim as new and useful and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for counting metal sheets andplates comprising a supporting base, spaced standards secured .to the .base, a register provided With a vane slidably clamped to said support rods.

2 A devicelforicount'mg metal sheetsandplates comprising a supporting .base, spaced standards secured to the base, extension .means -for lengthening one or more standards as desired, :a register the slots in the strap trip lever for actuation by the air gusts from the movement of the sheets being counted.

3. A device for counting metal sheets and plates comprising a horizontal L-shaped base, feet supporting the base, spaced standards secured to said base, a register having a trip lever mounted on me vof said standards, ,spaced :nuts :secured to said base adjacent the standards, cone-pointed set-screws threaded into said nuts, a cup-ended zhorizontal rock shaft pivoted on said set-screws, normally vertical support rods secured to said shaft, 'an'd 'operatively connected to the lever, a vane slidably clamped to said support rods, a metal strap having a plurality of slots secured to the base, arspring wound spirally around the shaft and having one end bearing against one support .rod and the other end engaging one of to hold the vane normally against rthe standards.

WILLIAMEBUSSELL MULQU'IN.

"REFERENCES CIT-ED The following .references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS 

